Toxic sludge could cross borders

Toxic sludge has reached the Danube river (one of Europe’s main waterways), according to a Hungarian water authority official.

Samples show “alkalinity slightly above normal, around 8.96 per cent to 9.07 per cent,” against a normal tally of eight per cent.

What started as a breach in the waste reservoir of a Alumina factory in Northern Hungary could now have cross border environmental consequences. Environment spokesman of the European Commission, Joe Hennon, said earlier this week that once sludge met the river it would flow through Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine and Moldova to the Black Sea.

“It is a very serious accident and has potential implications for other countries,” says Philip Weller, the executive secretary of the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube.

Greenpeace International spokes person, Herwit Schuster, described the incident as “one of the top three environmental disasters in Europe in the last 20 or 30 years.  

“It is clear that 40 sq km [15.5 sq miles] of mostly agricultural land is polluted and destroyed for a long time. If there are substances like arsenic and mercury, that would affect river systems and ground water on a long-term basis,” he added.

Villagers, who felt the immediate impact of the spill, are furious and demanding compensation for their destroyed homes and fields. Authorities have ordered a criminal inquiry into the accident.

Jozsef Deak, the company’s operations manager, said it would not shy away from taking responsibility if found guilty.

The spill started on Monday when a containment reservoir burst at the Ajkai Timfoldgyar Zrt Alumina factory, releasing hundreds of thousands of tonnes of toxic waste and flooding three villages. The flooding killed four people and left 120 injured. On Wednesday the leak was plugged by a triple tiered protective wall built around its damaged section.